Amtrak

When the Apollo 1 fire in 1967 killed three American astronauts, it was a terrible national tragedy. But just two years later, during the Apollo 11 mission, Neil Armstrong walked on the moon. That is what we do with tragedies: We learn from them and work to ensure they don't happen again. That is the spirit we must take with the tragic crash of Amtrak 188 that killed eight people and injured 200 others near Philadelphia. It is too early to know precisely what caused the derailment and inappropriate to speculate; a final report will ultimately provide the details. But the crash should make us take a step back and look at whether we've done enough to ensure the safety of our...

Related "Amtrak" Articles

HARTFORD — In a sign that the near-stalemate between Amtrak and Connecticut is over, the railroad on Friday announced a major operational change to accommodate construction of the new Hartford Line commuter service.
Passengers on nearly all Amtrak...

As if the state needed further evidence that its transportation infrastructure is in dire need of repair, another of the state's ancient movable railroad bridges failed last week. One two-track span of the Devon Bridge, a 111-year-old bascule bridge...

Amtrak has offered to continue cross-honoring certain Shore Line East tickets on Acela Express Train 2151."I propose that while Amtrak is operating the Shoreline East service for the State of Connecticut, and space is available on Acela Express...

Amtrak, the rail passenger service, has announced that, in the name of fairness, it will stop endorsing Shore Line East tickets between New London and New Haven on its premium Acela service. That's a move that makes little sense for either Amtrak or...

HARTFORD — Even if the state can get construction of the troubled New Haven to Springfield commuter rail project back on course, there will still be a critical question lingering: Who is going to run the trains?The answer is virtually certain to affect...

NEW LONDON — Frustrated at making no progress with Amtrak, a group of Shore Line East riders is calling for help from Sen. Richard Blumenthal.About two dozen passengers and public officials from southeastern Connecticut communities told Blumenthal on...

HARTFORD — A dispute between Amtrak and the state over escalating expenses has jeopardized chances that commuter trains will be running on the New Haven to Springfield line by late next year.
Connecticut's long-strained relationship with the railroad...

GROTON — A man was killed when he was struck by a train Wednesday night, police said. The Acela Express 2168 hit the 32-year-old man shortly after 7:30 p.m., Amtrak and police spokesmen said.There were no reported injuries to passengers or crew members,...

The twisted, mangled wreckage of the Amtrak train that crashed in Philadelphia May 12 is a searing indictment of America's failure to invest in rail safety and reliability. Eight people lost their lives and more than 200 were hospitalized — yet another...

The Connecticut River is one of the few major rivers in the world that does not have a major city at its mouth. Instead, it has Old Saybrook, a charming town of 10,200 year-round souls and many more summer visitors.
The reason, explains First Selectman...

The deadly Amtrak derailment on Tuesday is just another symptom of Congress' refusal to address the United States' decrepit infrastructure. Amtrak is notoriously underfunded, with a huge capital expenditure backlog. While the cause of the crash is not yet...

WASHINGTON — Amtrak resumed full Northeast corridor operations Monday morning, six days after last week's derailment in Philadelphia that killed eight passengers and injured more than 200."Our infrastructure repairs have been made with the utmost...

HARTFORD — Saying that a fatal train crash in Philadelphia this week was preventable, Connecticut's two U.S. senators called Friday for increased funding and safety improvements for Amtrak to prevent future tragedies.U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal...

Why does this keep happening?
Just when it seems as if the U.S. is about to join the rest of the industrialized world and embrace rail travel, there's another accident, another reason for people who might take the train to think twice. This one was...

My feet crunched through the marsh grass as I approached the banks of Spencer Creek. In the mud below, hundreds of fiddler crabs scrambled sideways in different directions looking to hide in their holes. Nearby, a great blue heron flew off, startled by my...

Restoring passenger train service from Grand Central Terminal to the Berkshires would offer northwestern Connecticut a potential economic bonanza, according to the railroad company that's trying to build support for the idea.Skeptics dismiss the...

If there is a month for walking on beach sand, nature's coastal cushion, it is August.
Usually a hot and humid month in Connecticut, to be sure, but that is part of the allure of beach walking. When the air is stifling and motionless inland, there...

Still hoping for federal aid to pay for a long-term solution, the state agreed Friday to put another $3 million toward short-term repair of the antiquated railroad bridge over the Norwalk River.The state Bond Commission on Friday authorized issuing...

Connecticut Light & Power Co. has ended its contract with a tree-trimming company involved in a train crash Monday and a fatal accident earlier in the month when a worker was killed by a falling branch."We have canceled our contract with Trees...

Rail commuters along the shore have become used to delayed trains, lack of seats and annual fare hikes. They aren't happy, but have no real alternatives to get to their jobs.
But adding insult to literal injury, now they have to contend with a...